Chapter 72: The Ten Villains of the Imperial Court

  Yang Ling often heard in the play that "pushed out of the Meridian Gate and beheaded", just listened to Hongzhi's sentence and took a big breath. In fact, the Meridian Gate is the main gate of the imperial palace and also the place where the court holds important ceremonies. The court never executes people outside the Meridian Gate. However, this does not mean that no one can die here, because this is also the place where the court administers corporal punishment. Under the corporal punishment, how many people will die in the past and future, and they are all beaten to death alive, which is more miserable than killing people at the Vegetable Market.

  Yang Ling and Gu Dajiu were handed over to the palace guards by the eunuchs and taken to the outside of the Meridian Gate. A large crowd had already gathered outside the gate, with a chief executioner sitting at the front, flanked on his left by thirty junior eunuchs and on his right by thirty Imperial Guards. In front of them stood fifty prison officials holding red-lacquered wooden clubs. The scene was quite intimidating, even Yang Ling felt a chill run down his spine.

  From a distance, they saw the appearance of the eunuch in charge of punishment, and Gu Dajiu's face turned pale. He said with a sob: "It's over, it's Fan Tingfan, the eunuch in charge of punishment from the Imperial Guard, Yang sir, we're probably going to lose our lives today."

  Yang Ling asked: "Fan Ting? Is he very fierce?"

  "Master Fan is the second-in-command under Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the Eastern Depot. He's always been ruthless and merciless. We're done for, just you watch. In the palace rules, if a supervising eunuch curls his boot tip inward, that means someone is going to die. Thirty lashes are enough to beat someone to death."

  Yang Ling originally listened with a frown, but upon hearing that it was the Eastern Depot's Director of Punishment, he suddenly felt a glimmer of hope in his heart. As someone sent by both the Eastern Depot and the Imperial Guard to be by the Crown Prince's side, he hoped that this Director would remember him and perhaps show some mercy when punishing him.

  Two men were pushed in front of Fan Ting, and on the ground, they saw a person who had been lying there for some time, wrapped tightly in hemp cloth, with only his head and shoulders exposed, unable to move. Seeing the two arrive, the man smiled bitterly and said: "Yang Daren, Gu Gonggong, you've also come?"

  "Gu Dazhong saw that it was him and couldn't help but be shocked and angry. He shouted in a sharp voice: 'Qian Ning, was it you who reported to the Emperor?'"

  Qian Ning lay there, stiff as a wooden puppet, his neck stretched out and his eyes rolled back in a helpless smile: "If I had been the one to inform on him, would I still be lying here?"

  He bitterly said: "Outside the Shouning Marquis's mansion, one of my subordinates carelessly dropped a token, and as a result, Sanfa Si caught me by tracing the clue."

  The little eunuch standing beside him shouted loudly: "Silence! The prisoner is not allowed to make noise!"

  In an instant, Liu Jin and Ma Yongcheng were also escorted to the Meridian Gate with pale faces. Fan Ting slowly stood up, and a small eunuch handed over a lacquer tray wrapped in yellow silk. Fan Ting took out the imperial edict from the tray and read aloud the emperor's decree: "By the Emperor's order, it is decreed that Yang Ling......" He paused for a moment when he read this name, his eyes quickly glanced at Yang Ling, seeing that he was also staring at him intently. A faint smile appeared on his lips, which was not easily noticeable by others.

  Fan Ting continued to read out the names of the ten people one by one, after finishing reading the imperial edict, he waved his hand and several people were pressed down to the ground at once. Each person was wrapped tightly in a hemp cloth, unable to move, and their feet were also tied up with ropes. Yang Ling saw that only his outer garment had been torn off, but he hadn't exposed his buttocks, so he felt slightly relieved.

  Qian Ning whispered beside him, "Don't worry, the executioner is one of my men, he won't actually hit you hard, just pretend to be choked when the time comes."

  Yang Ling said nervously: "Thank you for pointing out, Brother Qian, this is my first time, and I'm really a bit nervous".

  He lay there, lifted his head with difficulty and looked at Fan Ting, wanting to see if his toes were outward or inward. Unexpectedly, from the gap between the legs of several executioners, he only saw Fan Ting holding a teacup, looking up at the sky with a pair of trembling legs, and was stunned.

  He turned to look at the several people with Gua Dazhong, only to see that they were also staring blankly. These people all knew the rules of beating people in the palace, so today they saw Fan Ting not following the usual routine and were a bit bewildered.

  Only a small eunuch was seen leaning against Fan Ting's side, listening to his instructions for a few words, and then stood up straight and shouted loudly: "Execute the punishment!" Ten small flag officers of the Brocade Guard held wooden sticks and walked behind Yang Ling and others, raised their sticks high, shouted loudly, and swung them down with a loud whoosh.

  That stick's wind was fierce and intimidating, but when it hit Yang Ling's buttocks, he only felt a numbing pain, without much actual hurt. He was just wondering about this when suddenly a loud cracking sound came from beside him, followed by a blood-curdling scream that made one's heart ache to hear it and eyes sore to see it.

  Yang Ling was startled, turned his head to look at Qian Ning, saw him grinning, twisting his face, shouting miserably like a pig being slaughtered. But when he met his gaze, he saw that he had secretly winked at himself, with an extremely cunning glint in his eye. Yang Ling suddenly understood and hurriedly joined in the loud wailing.

  Ten small flags, one hit three sticks and retreated. The eunuch who gave the order shouted again: "Turn punishment!" Fifty soldiers heard the words, five people in a group holding sticks in line, taking turns to come forward and execute punishment, they shouted slogans, shouting "real hit" with a stick, then another person shouted "heartfelt hit" and another stick came down. Yang Ling felt that the soldiers seemed to be lenient, but except for the three light sticks at the beginning, now it was somewhat painful, so the cry of pain was half true and half false, not entirely fake.

  He heard the people next to him shouting and screaming, thinking that they were just pretending, but when he turned his head, he saw Luo Xiang on his left being beaten with a stick, crying out in pain, his body wrapped tightly in cloth, twisting and convulsing like a worm, tears streaming down his face. He couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine: "It seems they're not just pretending to be treated this way, they're really being beaten."

  He looked up at Fan Ting, only to see Director Fan drinking alone with a carefree expression, his legs crossed and slightly shaking, without even giving him a glance. Yang Ling secretly breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed that Fan Ting had remembered who he was, if not for his orders, he would have been beaten half to death by the thirty lashes.

  The thirty lashes were finished, the soldiers dropped their wooden rods and picked up the four corners of the hemp cloth tied to their bodies. With a loud shout, they lifted it up. Yang Ling saw Qian Ning's eyes wide open and his breathing tight, so he didn't dare to slack off and quickly took a deep breath. The four soldiers exerted themselves at the same time, shouting loudly as they tossed him high into the air, and with a thud, he crashed to the ground.

  Yang Ling's eyes turned black and he almost passed out from the severe pain, he gritted his teeth and lay on the ground for a long time, gasping for air, it took him a while to slowly regain consciousness. As he listened, there were groans all around, he stole a glance and saw that several of Gao Feng's and Luo Xiang's faces had turned pale, their white clothes stained with blood, they had already fainted.

  Fan Ting slowly stood up, shook his sleeve and said: "The execution is complete, our family will return to the palace to report, let's go!" Fan Ting led a group of Jin Yiwei who had executed the punishment away, leaving only ten people lying motionless outside the Meridian Gate.

  It wasn't until after a long time that several small eunuchs from the East Palace came out to help Liu Jin and others up, and Qian Ning took advantage of the situation to turn over and sit up. Gu Dazhong and others were beaten so badly that they had no strength left to call for them, and were dragged back into the palace by several small eunuchs.

  Qian Ning took out two small bottles from his bosom and tossed one to Yang Ling, saying: "Drink it all up, this is the best gold wound medicine, guaranteed not to leave any residual illness".

  Yang Ling struggled to sit up, and although the Jin Yiwei had shown mercy in their blows, thirty strokes still left him burning with pain. He estimated that his buttocks were not only swollen but also broken.

  Qian Ning's men rushed over to help him and Yang Ling, supporting them for a long distance, activating their blood circulation, until the two only felt numbness but no pain. Only then did they call over the carriage to lift them up. Qian Ning had been prepared when he came to receive his punishment, as there were thick soft cushions laid out in the carriage, and a imperial physician from the Brocade Guard was waiting inside. He immediately applied medicine to their wounds after removing their pants.

  Two people shoulder to shoulder, lying there with their buttocks exposed, Qian Ning said: "Yang Daren, I'll send you home first, then go back and rest my injuries. Ah, gently, this butt is really painful."

  Qian Ning ordered Lang Zhong to speak, and then asked: "Yang Daren, my subordinate lost his token and was found by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Niangniang's, Shouning Hou is indeed capable. I, the majestic Embroidered Uniform Guard's Chief of Punishment, beat up a small servant from his household, and he actually petitioned for an imperial edict to sentence me to punishment in the court. However, regarding the Crown Prince leaving the palace, I didn't reveal even one word. How did you all end up being brought out to receive punishment?"

  Yang Ling knew that Hongzhi must have another group of people responsible for spying on the movements inside and outside the palace, probably the legendary Xichang Secret Guards who had been secretly established. He didn't dare to speak out, but said: "We were seen by someone with ulterior motives when we returned to the palace, and they reported it to the Emperor, so we were caught and beaten. It's just...it also implicated Lord Qian, and I really can't bear it."

  Qian Ning pretended to be heroic and said: "As brothers, we should have wine to drink together, and beatings to endure together. What's a little flesh wound? For the prince, it's worth suffering some more."

  He leaned in close to Yang Ling, and whispered with a low laugh: "I heard that at noon today, Li University Scholar and Zhang Heling got into a fight in the Golden Hall, and the Emperor, in a fit of rage, threw him into the great prison as well. Heh heh, being able to make him rot in the big jail makes me feel very pleased in my heart. This debt is now settled, a gentleman takes revenge, even if it's ten years late. Let's wait and see, hahaha... Ah yo."

  His smile pulled at his wound, and he couldn't help but laugh with a wide, toothy grin, it was truly unsightly.

  The carriage arrived at the entrance of Yangjia Gate on Huguo Temple Street. Yang Ling was worried that his injuries would be seen by Nian Niang and cause her to worry, so he declined Qian Ning's good intentions to send someone to escort him and got off the carriage alone, hobbling in pain towards the courtyard. At this time, the sun was setting in the west, and the remaining sunlight spilled into the courtyard, illuminating a warm golden glow.

  Yang Ling estimated that the young woman was cooking in the house, so when he walked to the door, he straightened up and looked around to make sure there were no flaws. Only then did he push open the door and walk in. The fire on the stove had already subsided, a black pot was bubbling with hot air, and a strong medicinal smell filled the nose and mouth, but the young woman's figure was nowhere to be seen.

  Yang Ling was shocked at the sight, and he involuntarily exclaimed: "Young lady, young lady?" He called out twice but received no response. Yang Ling hastily endured the pain and rushed into the room. The light in the room was dim, and all he saw was Young Lady curled up on the bed, covered with a quilt, motionless.

  Yang Ling hastily rushed over, grabbed her thin shoulders and said: "Young Niang, Young Niang?" He felt Young Niang's forehead, which was hot to the touch. Han Youniang's body trembled slightly, she heard her husband's call and struggled to open her eyes, wanting to speak, but her teeth chattered and she couldn't say a word.

  Yang Ling's heart was about to break, and he hugged the young lady in terror, feeling both pain and regret. These past few days, he had also noticed that the young lady had no appetite and looked very unwell, but he thought that as a martial artist, she had always been physically strong, so it should just be a common cold or flu, and didn't take it to heart. Now seeing her in this state, Yang Ling felt like his heart had been hollowed out, and was so anxious that he felt suffocated, and regretted it deeply.

  The young girl struggled in his arms, moaning: "It's so cold... sir... I'm so cold... I'm terribly thirsty... I want to drink water..."

  Yang Ling hastily said: "I'm going, I'm going, wait a minute, let me get you some water."

  He hastily ran to the outer room, rummaged for half a day, and finally found the bowl. He then searched everywhere but couldn't find where the hot water was. At home, he never had to worry about these things. When he was thirsty, warm tea would be served in front of him. When he was hungry, steaming hot dishes would be brought to his table. Everything was so natural. Now that he had to take care of Rong'er, he couldn't find anything, and thinking of Rong'er's kindness made his heart even more distressed.

  The young girl was so seriously ill, could she be allowed to drink cold water? Yang Ling scooped up a ladle of water and threw it back into the vat. He ran to the stove and moved the medicine pot to one side, the handle was so hot that he almost dropped the pot.

  Yang Ling hastily fetched half a pot of water, sat on the stove, and stuffed 7 or 8 pieces of wood into it. As he watched the fire crackle to life, he hurried back to the room, lit the oil lamp, placed it in front of Rourou, then wrapped his arms around her and softly said: "Rourou, I'm boiling water, just a moment, just a moment."

  The light in front of her eyes made Yu Niang squint slightly, she licked her dry and cracked lips, opened her dazed eyes, coughed for a while, and smiled apologetically: "Master, you're back. I'm so useless...I went to see the doctor, he said I caught a cold, but after taking the medicine back, just as I was brewing it, I couldn't hold on..."

  Yang Ling saw that she was talking while her body was shaking with cold, her face was pale and flushed with illness, the lamp light revealed a rose-colored rash on her neck, it didn't look like just a common cold, he couldn't help but exclaim: "What kind of wind chill is this? This quack doctor has delayed treatment, I'll take you to see a real doctor, find the best one".

  He didn't hesitate, ignoring the weak struggles of his daughter, and rushed out with her in his arms. At the door, an old man who was about to pack up his stall looked at him in surprise and asked anxiously: "Old master, where is there a doctor around here? No, no, where is there a Chinese medicine doctor, a physician? I want to find the best doctor!"

  That old man who loved to talk heard him call himself "Old Master" and couldn't help but say with a hint of surprise: "Sir, the best doctor on this street is Mr. Liu from Yejuzhai, Golden Needle Liu Jing Shi is famous, but his diagnosis fee is really...", seeing Yang Ling's eyes about to spit out fire, the old man quickly changed his words: "This street goes that way, the third house at the end is it, sir... Old Han has a small cart at home, does sir want to take Madame there? The journey isn't short either."

  Yang Ling nodded hastily, and the old man hurriedly ran back home to fetch a small two-wheeled cart. Yang Ling saw that the cart was usually used for carrying goods and people, and it was quite dirty, so he quickly went back to get some bedding, spread it out, and placed Nian Niang on top of it, covering her with a quilt. After this commotion, Nian Niang's breathing became even more urgent, her eyes tightly closed, and she had lost consciousness.

  Yang Ling's heart was racing like fire, he pulled the cart and ran towards the Wild Chrysanthemum Inn. But now he himself was also having trouble with his legs, every step was a struggle, yet he ran with all his might, under the sunset, that desolate figure looked unspeakably bitter.

  "Although the lady is young and has always been in good health, she has managed to hold on until now before falling ill. To say that this is not a good thing, the cold evil has accumulated in her body for a long time, once it breaks out, it's like a great house collapsing, and then wanting to treat it... Alas..." Mr. Liu stroked his beard and gently shook his head.

  Mr. Yang had just stormed in, kicking open the door and dragging his patient in, flashing a Jin Yiwei plaque to chase away the wealthy couple who were demanding treatment for their infertility issues, along with the man's twelfth concubine, and was now pulling him by the arm to have the doctor examine him.

  The visitor was a person from the Brocade Guard, and Liu Dafu originally still had some fear in his heart. However, once he started discussing medical principles, his occupational disease acted up again, and he began to nod his head and wave his hands.

  Yang Ling was so anxious that the beads of sweat on his forehead rolled down one by one. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and looked at Yu Niang, who was still unconscious, with concern. "Sir, please think of a way to cure my wife," he begged. "Don't worry about the cost of the medicine or how much silver it will take, I'm willing to spend as much as it takes. Please, sir, do your best."

  "Madam, your illness has been going on for a long time. The body's defensive yang is weak and vulnerable to cold evil. There are two types of cold evil: external and internal. Although you appear strong and healthy... I'm afraid you may have suffered from prolonged exposure to cold, which has entered the body and not dispersed, leading to internal coldness. Cold evil is a yin evil, and when yin prevails, it becomes cold. As a result, your qi and blood are congealed, and your meridians are blocked and obstructed..."

  Yang Ling heard this and thought of the time when he lived in Yangjiaping, during the cold winter months, every night, Nong Nang wore only a thin dress, suffering from the cold and frost. Wasn't her illness rooted in that time? Yang Ling thought about the hardships Nong Nang had endured during those days and couldn't help but feel heartbroken and tearful. At this moment, he saw Jinzhen Liu say the cause of the disease, a glimmer of hope rose in his heart, and he hastily asked: "Sir, how can it be treated then?"

  "Madam's body has been invaded by cold air for a long time, blocking the flow of qi and blood in the meridians. Originally, with her physical condition, she could have slowly recovered. However, soon after, she resided in a place with excessive heat, where the yang energy was too strong, causing a clash between yin and yang, which rapidly forced the cold evil air into the spleen and kidneys. As a result, the spleen lost its ability to transport and transform, failing to ascend the clear and descend the turbid, and regulate blood. The kidneys were unable to absorb qi, regulate water passages, produce marrow, and warm and nourish the whole body. Water fluid was forced into the bloodstream..."

  "Damn it......", Yang Ling heard him still talking about yin and yang, five elements, couldn't help but get angry, he jumped up suddenly, grabbed Jinzhen Liu's collar, his face ferocious, no longer with any elegance, loudly roaring: "Don't tell me about the pathology anymore, I only ask you, how to treat it? How to use medicine?"

  Jin Zhen Liu didn't get angry either. He looked at Yang Ling with a pitiful gaze, shook his head slightly and said: "The disease has entered the wilderness, it's hard to cure".

  Yang Ling suddenly let go, fell back into his chair, and stared blankly for a while. He suddenly jumped up and shouted loudly: "I don't believe it, I don't believe it, it can't be! I'm not dead yet, how could You Niang die?"

  He held the unconscious Han Youniang and tearfully said: "In this vast Beijing city, I don't believe we can't find someone who can cure Youniang!" He carefully placed Youniang in the cart and pushed it forward. Because of running all the way, his wound burst open again, and blood had seeped through to the back of his shirt. Yang Ling pulled the cart while walking and muttered: "Heaven has eyes, it will not let Youniang die, it will not!"

  Jin Zhen Liu slightly shook his head. Although he knew the person in front of him was from the Brocade Guard and couldn't be offended, out of a famous doctor's dignity, after the man left the door, he quietly muttered: "In Beijing city, my medical skills may not dare to be called first-rate, but the illnesses I can't cure... probably no one else can either. If you believe me, we can use some strong medicine to make her temporarily regain consciousness and leave a last testament. Now... hmmm!"